I was recently asked by my soon to be 8 year old niece to talk at her baptism on the gift of the Holy Ghost! I was thrilled for this subject, because I have spent the last couple years focusing on utilizing this gift! It’s actually hard to comprehend the importance and AWEsomeness of this gift. We have the opportunity to have the constant companionship of a member of the Godhead. It’s almost one of those gifts that you get and it’s so precious and valuable that you put it on your top shelf in your closet, so that little hand won’t break it. It’s almost too valuable to even use, what if we don’t know how to use it? What if we misunderstand it? What if we lose it? or Maybe we think that if we put it on the shelf…and protect it, we can run into our closet in time of need and pull it down from the top shelf….and use it!?

As I contemplated the overwhelming awe of the promise of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, I realized that I was one who definitely had my gift on the closet shelf! Yes! I treasured it! Yes! I was thankful for it! But the problem was, I hadn’t fully learned how to use it! It’s difficult to master anything when we only try to tap into it’s abilities during tough times. The truth is we need to take the Gift of the Holy Ghost and keep it with us always….practicing listening to the whispering of the still small voice, so that during or times of need, we are well accustomed to the sweet helpful, quiet voice. That is the only way to master, and maximize on the most precious treasure of the Holy Ghost!

I often refer to motherhood, and how we all know our kids! It’s always amazing how I can be sitting with a group of ladies at a play group at the park, with lots of kids. Yet, when my kids lets out a scream, or cry, I instantly know that it’s my kid. I don’t have to be looking in the direction of the cry, I just recognize the distinction of my kid over the cry of the other kids. Why is this? It’s because I have developed a close relationship with them, by spending every day and night close by their side. I attend to their daily cries. I recognize their needs almost before they tell me. That is how the Holy Ghost works. As we keep the Holy Ghost with us, and practice responding to every prompting, regardless if it’s from our own minds or from the Holy Ghost, we will learn to discern between the two.

So when asked to talk, I pondered all of this stuff that I had been thinking about for years. I was wondering how could I relate this to an 8 year old little girl. With the help of the Holy Ghost, I was able to come up with the analogy of time. Time is relevant to everyone, who lives on the earth now, who has ever lived on the earth, and who ever will live on the earth. Everyone is effected by time at one time in their life, and most likely they are effected often. That is the same as the Holy Ghost, it is available to everyone on the earth, who has lived, and who will live. Every one, if they will listen , will feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost. He will testify of truth, warn of danger, and respond to prayers. But what if you could have your very own solar powered watch? How awesome would it be to be able to have time available to you all day and night, every day and every night? This solar powered watch never runs out of batteries, it literally works no matter what…unless it isn’t in the light. It needs the sunlight to work. Just like the Holy Ghost, once you are baptized and confirmed with the Gift of the Holy Ghost, you are able to have the Holy Ghost with you all day everyday, as long as you stay in uplifting, light filled environment.